Basketball can be a funny sport at times, and the NBA provides the highest level of entertainment in the sport. NBA players have contracts that are determined by their performance in the stats column, including field goal percentage, which prevents several from attempting end-of-quarter heaves until after the clock hits 0 because of their low percentage to make the shot.
Just last season, only 12 heaves (shots attempted beyond the back court) were made out of 514 total attempts between 221 NBA players. None of the Memphis Grizzlies players made their attempts, going a combined 0-20 between eight players. Now, the NBA is promoting more attempts by implementing a rule change to not count that shot against the player's field goal percentage.
Due to this change, players are more likely to attempt even more of those shots without any effect on contract negotiations at the end of the season. The Grizzlies specifically had a couple of players attempt multiple heaves last season, which figures to increase next season.
Let it fly!
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with six end-of-quarter heaves, followed by Jaren Jackson Jr. with five, and Sant Aldama with four. Their other returning players who attempted are Scotty Pippen Jr., Vince Williams Jr., and John Konchar, all with one attempt each. Departed players Luke Kennard and Lamar Stevens were the other two players to attempt a heave for the Grizzlies last season.
Although it doesn't change much in the grand scheme of things due to the star levels of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., it doesn't hurt that they could benefit from a minor boost in their percentages. If you took away Morant's six attempts of heaves last season like they will this season, his field goal percentage would've only jumped from 45.4% to 45.7% and his three-point percentage from 30.9% to 31.5%.
However, knowing the effect it can have on field goal percentages will likely prompt him and his teammates to attempt more than the 20 combined they attempted last season, with that in mind. This rule change is minor compared to more important things, but for the entertainment value of the NBA, it will help.
Players making end-of-quarter heaves bring energy to a home crowd when they are on the right side of it and deflating them when it's against them. Seeing teams attempt more can only help grow the league as it enters its 80th season in existence.